This past weekend at Eastbrook, as we continued our four-week preaching series entitled “Reset,” Pastor Ruth Carver spoke about the first part of Hebrews 10:24-25: “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.” There is much more going on at Eastbrook during this four weeks than a preaching series, so let me encourage you to find out more here.

You can find the message outline and video below. You can also view the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

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Gathering Together to Worship 

• In the OT
  • God’s idea, God’s command 
  • Festivals at temple in Jerusalem
  • Psalm 100, the reset psalm
  • Synagogues
• In the NT
  • Jesus’ insistence on it
    • “Wherever 2 or 3 of you are gathered…” (Mt 18:20)
    • “I will build my church…” (Mt 16:18b)
    • Institution of the Lord’s Supper
  • Early Christian gatherings
    • In addition to synagogue gatherings
    • House churches

Hebrews passage – Some Christians Gave Up Meeting Together

• Recipients probably Jewish Christians in Rome
• The fires of Rome (64 AD)
• Nero’s making Christians the scapegoats
• Danger of abandoning the Christian faith

Why We Need to Gather to Worship in Person Today 

• Because we are in spiritual danger
• Because it pleases God
• Because the physical presence of other Christians is God’s gift to us

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Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

• Watch “The Public Reading of Scripture” by The Bible Project.
• Look into these passages about gathering in the church:
  • Psalm 122 
  • 1 Peter 2:9
  • Matthew 18:19-20
  • 1 Timothy 4:13
  • 1 Corinthians 14:26-33
• Memorize Psalm 100